Steam pressure governor



Sept. 20, 1932. F. l..-. BADGET'i' 0 STEAM PRESSURE eoimn'uon ,Filed Aug. 20, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR g ATTORNEY Sept. 20, 1932. p ETT 1,878,660

STEAM PRESSURE GOVERNOR Filed Aug.- 20, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTO R N EY Patented Sept. 20, 1932 U ITED- STATES; PATENT orrics FRED IJ. BADGETT, OFCHICKASHA, OKLAHOMA; BILLIE B. BADG-ETT, ADMINISTRATRIX 1 OF SAID FRED L. BADGET'I', DECEASED STEAM PRESSURE GOVERNOR Application filed August 20, 1929. Serial No. 387,204. I

This invention appertains to improvements 1n steam pressure governors generally, and

h more particularly to a type of the same for maintaining the steam pressure on a boiler uniform throughout its period of operation.

The main object of the invention is to provide a governor of the class set forth, which is especially adapted for use on boilers which are fired by a gaseous fuel and which has a dual control with a single valve regulator that is controlled directly by the gas pressure when the boileris cold or is being fired up,

or. when'the steam is down below the desired pressure, and by the steam when the pressure thereof in the boiler rises above the'desired or predetermined point. r

Another object of the invention is to provide a governor as hereinbefore characterized, wherein, when the steam takes control of the same as aforesaid, the gasreleases its control, but the steam control is so adjusted that only a small amount of the gas will still pass through the regulating valve to keep the burner lighted, thus acting as 'a' pilot,

' when little or any of the steam is being utilized, while in any case, the gas admitted to the burner through the governor will only be suflicient to maintain the steam pressure on a boiler installation uniform at alltimes;

WVith the foregoing and other equally important objects and advantages in v1ew,.the

invention resides in the certain new and use- I air chambers 10 and 10, which are each in the form of a container having its upper open end closed by a coverportion 11 bolted thereto, as at 12, after a diaphragm 13 has been placed in position between the same,

As shown in Figure 3, each air chamber or container has a threaded air inlet connection 14 provided in a side of each container below the diaphragm, and the cover portion thereof formed with a centrally disposed and upstanding tubular extension or nipple 15, whose bore opens inwardly through the cover above the center of the diaphragm 13. Opening outwardly of the side of the extension or nipple 15 of the cover of the air chamber 10 is a threaded gas inlet connection 16 and of the extension or nipple of the cover of the chamber 10" a ilg iilarly threaded steam inlet connection Each of the diaphragms 13 is clamped between plates 17 which are secured on the lower end of a rod 18 projecting downwardly through the bore of the extension or nipple 15 and through a packing gland 19 carried at the upper end of the latter, while lugs 20 are formed on the inner walls of the air chambers or containers to'limit thedownward flexing movements of the diaphragms.

lhreaded on the upper end of each of the rods 18 is a vertically'slotted member 21 which is engaged over an intermediate portion of a lever-22 and is pivotally connected thereto, as at 23 a lock nut 24 being thread- 7 ed onto the rod 18 below the slotted member 21 to retain the latter in any desired position of adjustment. The levers 22 are disposed in line one with the other and in a manner to have their adjacent forked ends 25 engaged with a guide head or sleeve 26' which is secured on an intermediate portion of the stem 27 of a cutoff valve 28, the latter being adapted to be coupled in a gas line leading from a suitable source of supply (not shown) to the usualburners of a steam boiler installation (not shown). A coil spring 29 is positioned on the steni 27 above the head or sleeve 26 and acts to normally tension the latter in its uppermost position of operation,'in which position thereof the valve is open, a suitable means being provided on the 7 upper end of the stem- 27 to adjust the tension of the spring 29 as required.

Supported upon the cover portions 11 of the chambers or containers 10 and 10, and

on the extensions or nipples 15 thereof, is a plate 30, below the transverse center of which the valve 28 is supported so as to be disposed medially of the space between the chambers or containers and to thereby lend symmetry to the assembly of the parts of the device. By this arrangement, the levers 22 overly the plate 30 and are thus permitted to have each of their outer ends pivoted, as ato31, in a vertically slotted head or sleeve 32 which is threaded onto the upper edge of a rod 33 rising from the adjacent outer ends of the plate 30. The head or sleeve 32 is secured in any desired adjusted position on the rod 33 by means of a lock nut 34 disposed below the same, while the lower end of the rod 33 is adjustably secured in the horizontal portion of the plate 30 by means of a pair of lock nuts 35. i

Leading from each of the passages 14, in the chambers or containers 10 and 10, which passages are preferably located toward the front portions of the adj acentwall portions of the chambers or containers, is an angled pipe assembly 36, which has its vertical leg extended upwardly and above the angled plate 30 to support a pressure gage 37 thereon, the gage 37, associated with the chamber or container 10, being calibrated in 1 units of as ressure and the a e 37 associated with the chamber or container 10 into units of steam pressure.

Forming a part of each of the pipe assemblies 36, of the chambers or containers 10 and 10 is a T coupling 38, which is connected to an air regulating valve 39, the latter, in turn, being connected to a suitable source of compressed air supply (not shown). By this arrangement, the gages 37 and 37' and the valves 39 are conveniently located'above the plane of the horizontal portion of the plate 30 and are spaced equally to either side of the central pivot support 26 of the levers 22, so that theoperative parts of the entire apparatus are in full view of the operator, readily accessible for purposes of adjustment, repair and replacement of parts, and the completed assembly is symmetrical and pleasing in appearance. Thepipe is shown leading to the gas burners for heating the boiler, not shown, while a pipe 61 leads to a source of as. r. g In the operation of the apparatus, as thus construct-ed and arranged, and with the inlet l' 16 in the extension or nipple 15 of the cover of the chamber or. container 10 connected to the as supply by means of a pipe line 40 leading from the cutofi valve casing 28 and the inlet 16 of the tank 10 connected with spectivegages 37 and '37 indicate pressurecorresponding to the maximum pressures selected for the gas supply to the burners of the boiler installation on the one hand and the steam to be generated and maintained uniform in the latter on the other hand. A valve 41 is provided in the gas supply line .40 to control the flow of gas'tothe nipple inlet 15 of the tank 10. It will be appreciated that the pressure of the air in tank 10 may be considerably less than the pressurein the tank 10;

This is due to the fact that the pressure of the gas in pipe 40 may be considerably less than the steam pressure. In other words the pressure ofthe air which is admitted to the lower portion of tanklO must be such that it will balance the normal pressures of the gas in the upper portion of the tank.

Now assuming that it should be desirous for instance to carry two hundred and fifty (250) pounds of steam in the boiler installation, the air pressure in the chamber or container 10 will be settat two hundred andfifty (250) pounds pressure, to be indicated on the gage 37 and the'steam will, at this pressure or below the same, have no control of the governor, butvwhen rising above the indicated pressure no matter how slightly above the same, it then takes control and forces the diaphragm13 in the chamber'or container 10 downwardly, which movement: of the 'diaphragm 13 exerts a downward pull on the rod 18 and lever 22 associated therewith, with the result that the valve stem 27 is moved downwardly against the tension of spring 29 and steam from exceeding to any appreciable'de gree the maximum of two hundred and fifty (250) pounds pressure by eliminating the fuel tothe burner. At the instant the steam takes control of the "governor, the gas releases its control, and the steam so controls the governor as to ,allowjust enough gas to pass through" c the valve28 to the burners to hold the steam at an even pressure without variation to any appreciable extent above and below the indi- I cated pressure. being used, it. acts to cut the supply of gas,

almost entirely off at the valve 28, leaving'just V enough gas passing through the valve to keep bevaried by adjustments of the pivot rods 33 at either the extreme; right or left ends or Whenthere is no steam both of the angledplate 30 and with a proper adjustment at one; or both of these points the pilot light may be'cut down just as low asthe burners .will permit without being extinguished.

When there is a large quantity of'steam be- 7 ing used and :the steanr pressure decreases belowthe indicated two hundred and fifty pounds'pressure on the gage 37 say by two I pounds below such indicated pressure, the steam releases its control of-the governorand the air in the chamber or container 10' now acts to raise the diaphragm 13, which in turn, raises the associated rod 18 and lever 22 and allows the spring 29 to move the valve 28 to open position, thus permitting an increased amount of gas to flow to the burner. As the steam releases its control of the governor, the gas supply in the chamber or container 10, above the associated diaphragm 13, controls the gas pressure on the boiler burners as may be desired for the best fire suitable at the moment for maintaining the steam pressure at the indicated maximum in the boiler installation. Here, even if the steam pressure in the boiler installation goes below the indicated maximum, it does not have any effect on the governor or the fire, since the gas supply to the burners is controlled by the gas flowing through the opposite side of the governor. The pressure of the gas, acting on the diaphragm 13 in the chamber or container 10 prevents an oversupply of gas or waste of fuel at the burners. Also, in the event of the gas pressure varying up and down in the main gas supply line, the gas control of this regulator continues to keep an even pressure on the burners and a steady fire. As the gas controls the governor, the flow of gas to the burners of the boiler installation is controlled directly at the cutoff valve 28 by the action of the diaphragm under any variation in pressure of the gas supply, so that the flow of gas to the burners is even at all times while being so controlled. The gas pressure may be also adjusted by placing more or less air in the chamber or container 10, and this adjustment is necessary for various types of standard makes of burners, which all require different pressures.

Just as soon as the steam pressure in the boiler installation is brought back to the two hundred and fifty (250) pounds indicated pressure or tends to rise above said indicated pressure, it acts upon the diaphragm 13 in the chamber or container 10, after the manner as hereinbefore explained, with the result that the cutoff valve is moved to off or partly off position.

This governor is so designed that it is very sensitive and accurate and operates with equal efficiency on either high or low pressure I burners or on high or low pressure gas lines,

or on high or low pressure boilers, since its regulation is obtained through the use of the balanced pressure system, as will be obvious. It is to be noted that a certain amount of steam admitted to the extension or nipple of the cover 11 of the chamber or container 10 will condense and that the water, so formed, will fill or partially fill the space in the chamber or container 10 above the diaphragm 13 therein, but, in so doing, the efficiency or sensitiveness of the diaphragm 13 is in no way affected thereby.

Without further description, it is thought that the features and advantages of the in.- vention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and it will of course be understood that changes in the form, proportion and minor details of construction may gaseous fuel comprising a fuel. regulating. valve, a pair of closed chambers, diaphragms in each. chamber dividing said chamber into compartments, one of the compartments of one chamber being connected to the fuel supply, a similar compartment of the other chamber being connected with the boiler, the other compartments of the chamber each being connected with a source of compressed air, the pressure of the air to each compartment being such that it will counterbalance the normal operating pressure of the steam in one compartment and the gas in the other compartment, means connecting each diaphragm with the valve so that when the steam counterbalances the air pressure in the respective chambers an unbalanced condition between the gas and the air in their associated compartment will cause operation of the valve;

2. A governor for steam boilers fired by gaseous fuel comprising a fuel regulating valve, a pair of closed chambers, diaphragms in each chamber dividing said chamber into compartments, one of the compartments of one chamber being connected to the fuel supply, a similar compartment of the other chamber being connected with the boiler, the other compartments of the chamber each being connected with a source of compressed air, the pressure of the air to each compartment being such that it will counterbalance the normal operating pressure of the steam in one compartment and the gas in the other compartment, a stem connected to each diaphragm, a lever pivotally connected intermediate its ends to each stem, the outer ends of the levers being pivotally connected to a fixed support, the inner free ends of the levers having connections with the valve so that as the pressure of the gas or steam increases sufiiciently to overcome the pressure of the air upon opposite sides of the respective diaphragms, a lever or the combined actions of the levers will cause the valve to be moved to closing position.

3. A governor for steam boilers fired by gaseous fuel comprising a fuel regulating valve, a pair of closed chambers, diaphragms in each chamber dividing said chamber into compartments, one of the compartments of one chamber being connected to the fuel supply, a similar compartment of the other chamber being connected with the boiler, the other compartments of the chamber-each being connected with a source of compressed air, the

pressure of the air to each compartment being such that it will counterbalance the nor-. mal operating pressure of the steam in one compartment and the gas in the other compartment, a pivotally mounted lever connected With each diaphragm, means loosely connecting each lever with the valve so that a difi ferential pressure between the fluids'upon opposite sides of both diaphragms will either release the valve to open position or will cause the valve to move to closed position.

FRED L. BADGETR 

